Alliance responds to talks of auditArkansas Valley Alliance for Economic Development (AVAED) Board of Directors Chairman Bryce Mobley said the board is not opposed to an external audit. "The alliance board welcomes a third-party, non-biased audit conducted by a reputable auditing firm, not located in Pope or Yell counties — our service area," Mobley said. The response followed a decision by the Russellville City Council's Finance Committee on Monday that authorized Alderwoman F...

Council to hear permit appealAldermen are scheduled to hear an appeal on Nov. 20 for a special-use permit request previously denied by the Russellville Planning Commission. The appeal for a special use permit to allow establishment and operation of an auto repair shop at 114 N. Elmira Ave. in Russellville was submitted by Stephanie Gray. Commissioners denied the request with a 5-3 vote in September. The appeal is listed on the Russellville City Council's agenda for its re...

Humphrey revises crematorium locationJim Bob Humphrey, president of Humphrey Funeral Services, is working on a new application to submit to the Arkansas State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors for consideration. He rescinded his initial proposal during the board's regular monthly meeting Thursday in Little Rock when an attorney representing local residents who oppose the crematorium said a new application should be submitted in order to change the location. "Although the b...

Free car seats, training availableThe Russellville Police Department (RPD) partnered with Arkansas Children's Hospital and the River Valley Circle of Friends to host a car seat event from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at Wal-Mart in Russellville. Several officers will be on hand, along with technicians from Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center, to properly install car seats while teaching parents. Free car seats will be available at the event. "Make sure you bring your child with y...

Crematorium still on holdIt's back to square one for Jim Bob Humphrey, president of Humphrey Funeral Services, after he decided to change the proposed location of his crematorium. The Arkansas State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors was scheduled to vote on Humphrey's permit to construct a cemetery and crematorium next to Center Valley Elementary School during its regular monthly meeting Thursday in Little Rock. The permit was tabled twice before and the board ...

11-year-old dies in house fireJOHNSON COUNTY — An 11-year-old boy was killed and three others were injured in a house fire in Johnson County on Wednesday morning. Around 12:02 a.m., the Johnson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) responded to a fire on Forest Service Road 4250. A neighbor told authorities he was awakened by the boy's father who said that "his house was on fire and his son was still trapped in the residence," according to a news release. The neighbor and the boy...

Committee approves WiFi fundsThe Russellville City Council's Finance Committee approved during its regular meeting Monday appropriating funds from various grants for specific projects. The city received a $31,000 grant for cameras and WiFi at Russellville City Hall. The Finance Committee approved appropriating $28,000 of it for cameras. If the bid comes in lower than that, the remaining funds will be added to the $3,000 to be used toward WiFi. Finance Director Jerry McKau...

Harris seeks alliance auditThe Finance Committee authorized Alderwoman Freddie Harris to get bids from local companies to conduct an audit of the Arkansas Valley Alliance for Economic Development's 2013 budget and present the bids to the Russellville City Council during its Nov. 20 meeting for approval. "This audit will be used to show the financial deviance between the city and the alliance," Harris said, adding she wants the council to rethink its financial commitment...

Council gives plant 60 days to render a planThe Russellville City Council during a special meeting Monday approved requiring officials with Pilgrim's Pride Corporation to present a plan to squelch the stench coming from its Russellville rendering plant, Premium Protein Products. "My recommendation would be that we provide a very short period of time for Premium Protein Products to present to us an affirmative plan that will address this problem with some finality," Alderman Martin Irwin...

Pottsville, Atkins listed on safe city reportThe SafeWise Report, which comprises safety and home security blogs from more than a dozen authors, named Pottsville the eighth-safest city in Arkansas. "One of the reasons I feel we were selected has a lot to do with the chief of police, Blake Herren, and our city police officers," Mayor Jerry Williams said. "They are very dedicated officers who are committed to keeping our streets safe. "Our fire department, under the leadership of Brad Judk...

Body in burned car believed to be suspect's cousinAn arrest warrant filed Wednesday by the Fifth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for a Pope County man indicated that the body found burned in a car in a Knoxville park is that of his cousin. According to the warrant obtained from Prosecutor David Gibbons, authorities believe the body found Saturday is Caleb Matthew Talkington, the cousin of Nathaniel Talkington, 25. The warrant indicated the 1998 BWM 500 found Saturday at Cabin ...

Gilkey re-elected, breaks recordBill Gilkey made history Tuesday when he was re-elected for a ninth term as Yell County Sheriff. "Now he will be the longest-running sheriff in Yell County," an official with the Yell County Clerk's Office said. Buford Compton previously held the record, serving as Yell County Sheriff for 16 years. Compton was elected eight times to the two-year-term position. Gilkey was first elected sheriff in 1999. He will begin his ninth term on Jan. 1, 20...

Recovery Zone Pediatrics expansion open house ThursdayRecovery Zone Pediatric Therapy Services has announced its growth and expansion to its new clinic at 1915 W. Main St. in Russellville. The community is invited to the grand opening tour, which is set to take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday. Everyone who attends will receive a free gift upon arrival. The 4,000 square-foot clinic features zip lines to large ball pits, rock climbing walls, feeding stations, low stim and lighted rooms and tr...

ATU students help with food driveArkansas Tech University (ATU) students are teaming up with the River Valley Food 4 Kids group to make sure school children have food over Christmas break. On Saturday, ATU students and River Valley Food 4 Kids volunteers will sort, load and deliver food for the 583 kids in the backpack program to Russellville school counselors for distribution. With food for two meals per day for 16 days for 583 kids, the volunteers will deliver around 18,656...

Body found in burned auto at Johnson County park KNOXVILLE (AP) — The Johnson County Sheriff's Office said a body was found in the trunk of a burned vehicle at Cabin Creek Park in Knoxville in western Arkansas. The sheriff's office stated in a news release that Knoxville Fire Department firefighters discovered the body in the trunk of the BMW after putting out the fire about 1:30 a.m. Saturday. The release stated the body was sent to the State Crime Lab for an autopsy and identification. The...

Court upholds suit's dismissal in Dirksmeyer caseLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A federal appeals court has upheld the dismissal of a civil lawsuit that was filed by the boyfriend of a slain Arkansas beauty queen. Kevin Jones was initially charged and put on trial for the 2005 killing of his girlfriend, Nona Dirksmeyer. Jones was acquitted by a jury and another man was later charged, but not convicted, in the case. Jones sued Russellville police four years after his acquittal, claiming that officers con...

Pottsville receives $50,000 in grantsPOTTSVILLE — The Pottsville City Council approved the transfer of $50,000 from the general fund to the parks fund during its regular meeting Monday. The city received two $25,000 grants from West Central Planning and Development. One grant came from the office of State Rep. Robert Dale and the other came from the office of State Sen. Michael Lamoureux. "I put in for two grants," Mayor Jerry Williams said, adding that one grant will be used to ...

More than 5,100 vote earlyMore than 5,100 Pope County residents voted early during the first eight days. The Pope County Election Commission reported on Tuesday that 5,174 people voted early between Oct. 20 and when the polls closed that day. The totals from Wednesday weren't available before press time, but Pope County Election Coordinator said the turnout was "very steady." "We've seen a lot of activity all day," she said. The early vote totals from 2010 — the last m...

Commission denies permit in split voteThe Russellville Planning Commission denied a special use permit submitted by Stephanie Gray that would have allowed an auto repair shop on property at 114 N. Elmira Ave. with a split vote during its regular meeting Monday. Prior to the 5-3 vote, City Planner David Harris said the property is located in a "mixed-use area," pointing out it is surrounded by businesses. "It has an auto sales lot next door, a shoe store to the south, manufacturing...

Intermodal seeks help with lawsuitThe River Valley Regional Intermodal Facilities Authority during its regular board meeting Tuesday approved paying a litigation support company — Global Legal Discovery, LLC — $9,226 to assist the intermodal with a lawsuit against it. "It was a little surprising when we got it," Chairman Roy Reaves said of the invoice. "Nevertheless, we didn't have a choice." Global Legal Discovery, LLC helped intermodal gather and print records to present to ...